METHOD

For the dressing:

1. Combine 1 and 1/4 cups of boiling water and tea bags and steep for 5 minutes.2. Place peanut butter in medium bowl. Add 3/4 cups of the steeped tea, soy sauce, lime juice, and ground chili. Whisk dressing to blend well. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using, mix in cilantro and mint. Can be made up 1 day ahead.

For the venison:

1. Season the venison flat iron with salt. Separately blend all spice ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

For the salad:

1. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, and rinse in cold water, drain again. Transfer noodles to a large bowl. Mix in sesame oil. 2. Heat grill pan or large ridged cast-iron skillet over high heat for 4 minutes. Working in batches, grill venison until just brown outside but rare on the inside, about 1 minute per side. Transfer venison to a cutting board and dust liberally with your spice mixture. Allow to rest; the moisture from the resting meat will allow the spice to bloom and will become fragrant. 3. Add cucumbers, green onions, carrots and shallots to the bowl with the cooled noodles. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Add mint and cilantro just before serving. 4. Mound noodle salad in the center of a large serving platter. Slice the spiced venison flat iron against the grain of the meat into thin slices. Top the salad with the venison. Garnish with peanuts, chilies and lime wedges.